Mouse and rat trap



June 1953 I. A. cobK MOUSE AND RAT TRAP Filed March '7, 1949 jmA. (00/8,

Patented June 2, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to traps for catching mice, rats and other small animals, and has special reference to a device for such purposes in which the capture and possible death of an animal is effected by means of a bar spring pressed againsta fiat base. The usual device of this general type requires the use of two hands to effect setting of the trap, one of the hands being in such position as to be liable to accidental injury by being caught between the bar and base above mentioned.

One important object of the present invention is to provide a novel construction of a trap of this kind wherein the setting of the trap is effected by one hand only.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a novel construction of a trap wherein the single hand used for setting the trap is at no time in position to be gripped between the bar and base.

Many people dislike handling dead animals and, in some instances, dangerous infections may occur when such animals are handled.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel trap of the kind from which an animal caught therein may be released from the trap without the person using the trap contacting the animal.

Such traps are provided with a bait carrying trigger which serves to hold the trap in set condition until the trigger is tripped by an animal seeking to remove the bait.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel trigger for such traps which is of simple construction, being made from a sheet metal stamping folded and bent to produce all the necessary elements of the trigger.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly claimed.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and

Figure l is a perspective view of a trap constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the principal end of the trigger used herein;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but taken from the opposite side of the trigger;

Figure 4 is a detail, partly sectional, and showing the preferred arrangement for holding the shaft pin of this invention in place; and

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but illustrating a modification of the shaft pin.

In the construction of the device as shown in the drawings, there is provided a flat rectangular base ID. This may be made of any desired material, and wood is well adapted for use in this particular, both for economy and because certain parts of the device may be attached to the base by simple driving operations.

The base is preferably somewhat longer than Wide, and there is provided adjacent each side edge about midway of its length an eye I I which may be formed by an ordinary wire staple driven into the base. A shaft pin I2 extends through the eyes II and forms the axis of rotation for the animal catching bar I3. This bar I3 includes a cross-piece I 4 from the ends of which extends a pair of parallel sides I5. The sides I5 extend towards the shaft pin I2 and at the free end of each side the wire from which these parts are made is bent to provide a loop I6 extending around the pin I2 and forming a fulcrum for the catcher bar I3. From the loops It extends a pair of parallel side portions H which carry a finger bar I8. At the end of one of the sides [1 there is formed a loop I9 which engages around the extremity of the bar I8. The structure just described provides a bell crank device formed of a single length of wire and having a pair of sides each constituting a bell crank lever pivoted to the shaft pin, said sides being connected at respective ends by a finger bar and a catcher bar.

The bar M is urged forwardly and downwardly towards the base II] by spring means. The spring means here used includes a pair of coiled torsion springs 26 surrounding the pin l2 adjacent the loops t6. The proximal ends of these springs are connected by a U-shaped loop H. The wire at the outer end of each spring extends tangentially to form an arm 22 and the free end of each arm 22 is bent to provide a loop 23 which extends around a respective side I! forming one arm of one of the pair of bell crank levers above referred to. The springs 20 are under such torsional stresses that they tend to constantly unwind and thereby to rock the bar [4 forwardly and down and to rock the finger bar [8 upwardly and forwardly. In order to prevent the shaft pin I2 from slipping longitudinally and disengaging from the eyes II the ends of this pin may be notched or offset as at 24 in Figure 4. or have offset bent ends as at 25 in Figure 5 to receive loops I6 to hold the angular rectangular wire frame composing the catching bar I3 and a finger bar to be later described, and also pin l2 in position.

The trigger and bait holder here shown consist of a T-shaped stamping or strip of sheet metal having a stem or shank 26 extending over the pivot pin I2 at its rear end at or into the loop 2| and provided to hold the bait near its forwardend, and a pair of arms 21 and 28 protowards the opposite end of the stem this arm is provided with an upstanding flange 29 extending transversely of the trigger and provided with a flat lip SI] extending toward the head end \of the sternZG. The other arm 28 is bent in the elevated pin 12 to limit the downwardwmovement of the rear end of the trigger and bait holder and the upward movement of 'the free forwardi" bait holding end in set position.

At 3 is a keeper finger-formed of wire and the Wire is bent laterally at right angles at two points in parallelism opposite directions With an intermediateverticar connecting portion, and'ex tended at the bottom t'o"forrn downwardly offset transversepivot head 35 E revolubl'y secured to the base ma stapIes'Ssi This finger overlies the finger baris andengag'es under the -lip'w when the-trap is *set as i'n'Figure '1.

The-trigger, although having its pivot" in the rear z'o'ne of its length, isof substantially bal ancedt'vpe the weight-forward of the'pi'vot sub stantially'equais the{vv'eight-rearward of'the-pivot; thus providing a balanced cdnditiondue to the threeply formation of" the rear -z'one; This is of especiai advantage" iii-that iii-permits setting of the trap undernomdangerousconditions throughthe'fa-ct that the trigge'r'-'does not automatically change positionat? any time, remaining in a definiteposit i'on'untila c'hanged position is-essential, a condition essential during such setting operation; in addition; it-providesfor' sensitivity of thetrigger sincawe'ight isabsent as ares'istanc'e'factor' to" trigger movement;

In the cperation of the trap from the-set position of Figurel', the actionofa-n animal trying to rc-imo've"bait front the free end of the trigger tiltsthis freeend down until the lip- Stdisengages fionrthe-k'eeper finger 34 which-'is then free to fly upward and release the bell crank device be: fore" described to spring'downward with considerat force toward the --base"i!J- to pin'the animal thereb 'etweenz; Assumingan' animal to have been caught and" that it" isttlesifd to dislodge it from tlretrap it'is merely necessary to 'l i'ft' thetrapby grasping theendremote from the animal and pressing 'witha finger (if-the lifting hand on the fingerbar'w trrrrrov'e'it rearwardi This will lift thebarl' from the'animaland it will "drop free. I To resetthet'rapthekeep'er is-swungto vertical position; thebase' being grasped in one hand, the fingerbar i8 istiIted' r'earwardly and downwardl'yafter which the front of T the base is tilted down until the keeper finger drops-over the finger banvvher'eupon it is moved to engage-beneath the lip 29 and the device is then in set position.

To reset" the trap under non-dangerous condition's, the following regimen isemployedr' With finger 34 rearward, the striker i3 is raised to its set zoneby drawing its rear loop downward into contact with" the" base and held there by the users finger pressure on bar 18 While grasping the-rear" end of the trap. The trap is nowsw'ung in a limited arcuate'path downward with sudden stoppage. Since the trigger is pivoted; thesto'p'page'does'not'afiect its'movement and itsfront end continuesmovement into contact with the'base, tliusrodki'ng'the" keeper into an open position. If the arcuate' swing has not carried finger 34 forward, it may be moved forward manually or fall to its. position by the inclination of the trap, the end. of the finger rest-- ing on the upper face of, 2.1.,- The trap is now swung upwardly in an arcuate path with sudden The stamping or strip is thus .4 stoppage, an action which again permits the trigger to continue its swing until the under ply 28 contaotsw'the base;,.thus roclring thestrigger on its pivot iniatdireeti'on to throwrthe lipgof. the keeper 3!! over the positioned end of finger 34 with the finger itself overlying |8-. The rear loop is now eased upwardly until bar [8 engages the finger 34 and raises the front end of the latter into contactwithitherunder face of the keeper lip, thus setting the trap.

During-the regimen the balanced condition of the trigger has been of importance in retaining the keeper in open position while finger 34 is being positioned, and again, in holding the keeper in closed position during-the easing; of, the; rearrlbop into the 'setcondition oi the trap; the keepersremaining in its particularposition until" shifted; by the-arcuate=swing,'thus placing the timing-of the keeper'=movem'entswholly withini the-control" of the user during such setting-:op'erationh During-the regimen the handfofitheoperator has remained constantlyin the. rear. zone: of: the trap and completelyaway: from: any point i. of danger; and. since it has not: passed.- forward: of v rod 12, it ha-s not contacted any surfacewith which the rodent has contacted; hence; the trap can be'used even-by those to whom such contact. would'be unpleasant.

What is claimed is:

Inam'ouse and rat trap an elongatedi-flatibase, apair ofeyes secured adjacenttheside edges; of' the base opposite eael r'other; a pivctrod extend-' ing-through' saideyes. and having upwardlyvofiset ends en aging in the eyes, a striker consisting of a singlelength of wire having'az-first centrall; disposedtransverse portion, said wire being bent at the ends of-"the--transverseportion to provide a" first-paino'f parallelside arms having rearwardly" upturned U-shaped open'loops at theirextremities and engaging around theoffset ends ofsa'idrod; said strikenhavinga second pair of parallelside arms extending from saidl'oops ina planeat right angles tothe plane of the first'tpairof side arms, saidstriker having asecond" transverse portion extending from the end of one of the second-pairof sidearms and engaging'in an eyefo'rmed intheotherof said second'pair of side arms, akeeper finger secured-to the base at its rear-to extend acrossthe'said'seoend transverse portion-ofthe' striker for holding the striker in set position; abait substantiallybalanced carrying trigger adapted toreleasably engage the endiofthe keeper finger upon setting of: the keeper finger, and spring means for urging said striker: from set to closed position.

IRA A, COOK.

References Cited: in the file: of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date.

481,707 Trumble .Aug. 30, 1892 630,346 Hall; Aug. 8, 1899 1,194,954 Casey Aug. 15, 1916 1,333,875: Pokorny- Mar. 15, 1920 1,410,737 Dickey .7 Mar. 28,1922 1,455,106 Butler 1; May 15, 1923 1,488,435 Crawford Apr. 1, 1924 1,501,384 Wills- July 15, 1924: 1,675,532 Cassna -1 July 3, 1928 2,348,981. Johnson May- 16, 19%; 2,368,581- Stilson Jan. 30, 19,45 2,502,850 Johnson Apr. 4,1950

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 66,326 Norway June 15, 1943 

